Fire-extinguisher.



J. R. GAIVHVIETER.

FIRE EX'TINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FlLED 00124,, 1914.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

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4 SHEETS-SHEET I L-R. GAMIVIETER.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION HLED'OCT-24. 1914.

Prtented Dec. 5,1916.

4 SHEETS$HEET 2.

J. R. GAMIVIETER.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-24. 1914.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

J. R. GAMMETER.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 24. 1914.

R fiwwfi fio Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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JOHN R. GAMMETJER, 0F AKRON, OHIO.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, t tfi.

Application filed October 24, 1914.. Serial No. 868,355.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN R. GAMMETER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Akron, county of Summit, and State of Ohio. have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Extinguishers, whichinvention is fully set forth and described in the followingspecification.

My invention relates to portable fire extinguishers of the hand-vessel.class, in which a container of fire extinguishing fluid is collapsed toexpel its contents by pressure applied thereto through means containedwithin the extinguisher.

T he object of my invention is to provide a hand-operated extinguisher,positive in operation, simple and strong in construction, which shall beoperable under all conditions of service and capable of being readilyrecharged, and one which will preserve its fire extinguishing agentagainst deterioration.

My invention has also as an object the indication of the readiness ofthe extinguisher for use.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, I have illustratedthe preferred embodiments of my invention.

. In these drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section showing oneadaptation of my fire extinguisher; Fig. 2 is'a view of the dischargeend of the extinguisher showing the container collapsed; Fig. 3 is anenlarged vertical section of the upper or rear end showing the indicatormounted on the'valve stem; Fig. 4 is a front view, partially brokenaway, of the pressure indicator; Fig. 5 is a detail view, partially insection, of the container and cap; Fig. 6 is a partial vertical sectionof the rear or upper end of the extinguisher showing a modification forpermitting pressure to be created in the casing by means of a hand pump;Fig. 7

. is a vertical sectional elevation of a modiin vertical section of theupper or rear end of the extinguisher shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 11 is avertical sectional view corresponding to Fig. 7 showing another modifiedform of the device; Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional elevation of amodified form of the device showing the means for exerting pressure uponthe container mechanically; Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional elevation ofthe device shown in Fig. 12 after it has been operated to discharge thecontents of the container; Fig. 14 is a. section taken on line XIV-XIVof Fig. 12; Fig. 15 is a vertical sectional elevation of the containershown in Fig. 13 after ejection of the contents thereof; Fig. 16 is avertical elevation, partially in section, of certain portions of thedevice shown in Fig. 12; Fig. 17 is a vertical. sectional viewcorresponding to Fig. 12 showing alternative forms of casing andcollapsing means and a modified form of container; Fig. 18 is anenlarged view in elevation of the collapsed container after theexpulsion of the liquid therefrom; Fig. 19 is an enlarged view inelevation showing a portion of the discharge end of the container shownin Fig. 17; Fig. 20 is an enlarged view in elevation of the detachablecap adapted for use with the tube of container shown in Fig. 17 and Fig.21 is a sectional ,anlarged view of the dischargeend of the extinguishershown in Fig. 17 with the cap of Fig. 20 applied thereto.

Similar reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the.several views.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, 1 represents the casing,preferably rigid and of hard metal, inclosing the container 2. Thiscontainer may consist of copper, brass, German silver, etc., ofsufficient thinness to be collapsible under pressure, but is preferablyconstructed of soft metal, such as lead, and is made in cylindricalform. One end is here shown as integral, and the other end is closed bya circular dished cap. This cap is provided with an annular groove 4into which the extremity of the casing passes, and is secured thereto bywire wrapping 5. About its edge the cap 3 is provided with a 1divezrgentannular flange 6 provided with a The casing 1 is provided at itsdischarge end with a screw-threaded collar 8 which projectstherebeyondand may be riveted thereto, as shown. An internally threaded flangedring 9 is adapted to engage the screw threads of the collar 8. The outeredge of a disk provided with an annular groove 10 engages the uppersurface of the lip 7 and the annular groove engages the lso inner upperportion of the flange 6. When in position, the inwardly projectingcircular flange 11 of the ring 9 presses -on the disk and causes the lip7 to be held in tight engagement with the upper edge of the collar 8,and also causes the annular groove 10 to be held in tight engagementwith the flange 6.

The container cap 3 is provided with a screw-threaded vent 12 into whichis screwed a nipple 13 having an exteriorly threaded shank 14 engagingthe threads of the vent 12, and an interiorly threaded channel having anarrow screw-threaded portion 15 adapted to engage the screw-threadedshank 16 of a needle valve 17. The inner end of the nipple 13 isprovided with an orifice 18 providing a seat for the point of the needlevalve. Through the shank of the needle valve is a longitudinal passage19 having an offset portion at a point adjacent the needle tip of thevalve. A cap 20 is threaded into the enlarged portion 21 of the channelof the nipple and engages the shank of the needle valve to retain it inplace. The needle valve is provided with wings 22.

Intermediate the ends of the casing 1 is a transverse wall 23 serving tohold in position a seat 24 which may be of felt or similar material,against which the inner end of the container 2 rests. This wall servesto divide the device into a chamber for the container 2 at one end, anda chamber in which fluid under pressure may be retained, as hereafterdescribed. The wall 23 is provided with a centrally disposed cir cularorifice 25. Corresponding thereto is a similar orifice 26 in the seat24. A substantially centrally disposed tube 27 is provided with offsetportions 28 which are riveted to the wall 23 adjacent the opening 25.The tube, which is of approximately the same diameter as this opening,is thus seated thereabout, and V-shaped openings 29 at the extremitythereof permit communication between the chamber for fluid pressure, theinterior of the tube, and the inner end of the casing 1. The tube 27 isheld in position by a boss .30 centrally positioned on the end wall 31,and by virtue of this connection is enabled to retain the wall 23rigidly in position.

The end wall 31 is countersunk into the end of the casing 1, to which itis preferably riveted, and, as here shown, is bellshaped. The boss 30 isprovided with a centrally disposed passage through which passes theshank of a valve-casing 32, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3. Thisvalvecasing and the valve contained therein may be of any desired form.As shown in this embodiment, the valve comprises a springheldfrustum-shaped valve head 33- adapted to contact with a correspondingseat 34 in a. channeled nipple 35 held on the "interior.

of the valve-casing. The valve head 33 is supported by the rod 36passing longitudinally of the valve-casing and suitably supportedtherein. The valve-casing is provided with an annular flange 37 adaptedto seat against the exterior of the Wall 31, and beyond this flange isthe screw-threaded extremity 38. Upon this extremity the pressureindicator 39 is adapted to be seated. This pressure indicator may be ofany desired form, and as here shown is substantially cylindrical in formand is provided with a boss 40 which has an interiorly screwthreadedrecess 41 adapted to coact with the screw threads on the portion 38 tothereby hold the indicator in position. Projecting into the recess 41 isa tube 42 seated in a recess 43 in substantial alinement with thelongitudinal passage of the valve-casing. This tube 42 has a channel 43provided with ofl'set portions 44 and a solid end wall 45, against whichthe rod 36 abuts. When the indicator is screwed into position, the rodis moved to unseat the valve head 33, thereby permitting fluid, such asair, to flow through the tube 42 to thereby operate an indicating meansof any desired nature in the indicator.

Attached to the side of the casing adjacent the valve end of the casingis a housing 46, through the outer end of which projects the end of arod 47, the said end being formed into a ring 48 which may be hung overa projecting hook or the like to suspend the extinguisher in verticalposition. The opposite end of the rod 47 is provided with an indicatormember 49 which projects through a slot 50 in the housing 46.Surrounding the rod 47 is a spring 51 contacting at one end with theindicator, and at the other end with the outer wall of the housing 46.When the extinguisher is suspended in position, its weight will forcethe indicator 49 up against the spring, and when the container is fullof extinguishing liquid, the indicator will rest at a certain point.When the container is empty the indicator will be at another point.Thus, by a glance at the indicator, the availability of theextinguisher, so far as the content of extinguishing fluid is concerned,may be determined.

In operation, the container 2 being filled with carbon tetrachlorid, orany suitable fire extinguishing liquid composition, is placed within thecasing 1 and securely held therein by the screwing down of the casingring 9. The indicator 39 is removed from the casing and air underpressure is forced into the casing by any suitable means, as a handpump, until a sufficient pressure is obtained, say upward of 80 to 100pounds, which may be determined by reinsertion of the indicator 39. Thecompressed air stored in the chamber of the casing in the rear of thecontainer upon the opening of the needle valve menses will cause thecontainer 2 to gradually collapse, thereby expelling the fireextinguishing liquid in a dirigible stream, the pressure exerted uponits walls serving to give it a form approximately that shown in Fig. 2.According to this construction, when the easing is charged with air andthe container with liquid, a glance at the spring-held indicator willshow that the extinguisher is ready for use so far as the liquid isconcerned, and a glance at the pressure indicator will show that thedevice is ready for use so far as the fluid pressure is concerned. Wheneither one of these elements is deficient or lacking, such deficiencymay thus be readily and quickly ascertained, which, it will be seen, isa highly desirable factor 1n connection with fire extinguishers. Thus,in case of fire, where speed is of the essence in extinguishing, no timeis lost by the necessity for taking the fire extinguisher from the wallto test it, and, in case it is empty, to be forced to take another toreplace it. lWhen the container has been collapsed, as shown in Fig. 2,it may be replaced by another fully charged container, as beforedescribed. These charged containers may be conveniently shipped andhandled to permit the user of the extinguisher to easily re-load anextinguisher without the difiiculty usually experienced in devices ofthis character, of having to send an extinguisher that has been onceused back to the manufacturer for refilling, or else to discard it as ofno further service.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modification wherein a hand pump is permanentlysecured to the device in place of the valve-casing and indicatorheretofore described. The hand pump is provided with a tube 52 securedto the transverse wall 23 at the orifice therein and in the felt, aspreviously described in connection with Fig. 1. Adjacent the wall 23 aspring-held plunger valve 53 is located, seating in an orifice in anarrowed portion 54 of the tube 52. A plunger 55 may be operated backand forth in the tube by means of a rod 56 furnished with a hand grip.The

. tube 52 may be secured to the end wall of the casing by means of aflange 57, which, with a collar 58, forms a tight engagement with thisend wall. Urifices 59in the tube 52 permit communication with the fluidpressure chamber and the rear wall of the container 2. In the operationof this device, pressure is created in the pressure chamber by means ofthe hand pump, and when the needle valve is opened this pressure willserve to expel the contents of the container.

Referring to the modification in Figs. 7 to 11., inclusive, thecontainer 60 corresponding to container 2 in Fig. 1, is shown closed atits ends, one of which is approximately hemispherical and is providedwith a thick ened wall 61 terminating in the boss 62.

The container in this instance is also of soft metal and is providedwith a series of uniform heavy corrugations 63 extending transverselythereof substantially from end to end. These corrugations in turn areprovided with similar uniform ridges or corrugations 64; whichpreferably extend laterally from the troughs of the transversecorrugations 63 to the tips thereof. Along the inner wall of the casing1 is a lining 65 of felt or similar material against which the tips ofthe corrugations 63 rest, serving to prevent jarring of the containeragainst the sides of the casing, and also furnishing a joint to opposethe How of air along the sides of the container. The casing 1, whichcorresponds in shape at the discharge end to the container, has aninwardly turned circular flange 66 seating in the thickened portion ofthe container. The boss 62 upon the container projects through thecasing and is externally threaded to engage the internally threaded neckof the pet cock 67. Due to the hardness of the metal of the casing andthe softness of the metal of the container, when the pet cook 67 isscrewed down upon the boss of the container until it engages with thecasing, the circular flange 66 presses into the metal of the thickenedend 61, making a tight joint therewith. The container has the opening 68therethrough extending through the boss in alinement with the openingthrough the nozzle 69 of thepet cock. The end of the casing opposite thenozzle is external-1y screwthreaded at 70 to receive a cap 71. Betweenthe cap and casing is interposed a packing ring 72 to render it air-tiht. Through this cap 71 extends a valve 3, screw-threaded therethroughand having the nuts 74 to hold it in place. This valve has the cap 7 5,being of the usual type employed for the inflation of the interior tubesof automobile tires. The method of operation of this embodiment of myinvention is as follows: When the filled container 60 has been placedwithin the casing 1 and securely held therein by the screwing down ofthe pet cock upon the projecting boss of the container, the pet cock isclosed, as shown in Fig. 7 and the cap 71 is applied to the casing, thevalve cap 75. is removed, and air under pressure is forced into thecasing after which the valve is closed by the cap 25. The compressed airstored in the chamber of the casing in the rear of the container uponthe opening of the pet cock will cause the container to graduallycollapse, pressure being exerted upon its rear wall and serving toadvance it within the casing, so that when its contents have beenexpelled it willassume substantially the form shown in Fig. 8, due toits corrugation. The heavy transverse corrugations upon compression willact to permit a folding of the container along the lines of transverse.

the corrugations. In this folding, the outer extremities will tend toswing about the innermost lines of the corrugations as axes, and thesides of the corrugations 63 extending from the troughs to the outerextremities must shorten. This shortening is facilitated by the lateralcorrugations 64:, as will be readily understood. 7

In the form illustrated in Fig. 11, I have shown a similar container 120without corrugation, the container fitting closely within the casing. Inthis embodiment the chamher in the casing in the rear of the containeris filled with aerated liquid 121 under pressure, since I find it to beeasier to maintain a given pressure without loss through leak age in areservoir charged, for example, with carbonic acid gas in the presenceof water,

.than in a reservoir containing air alone. I

preferably construct the collapsible container of a non-corrosive softmetal, as lead. In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig.11, the collapse of the container and the expulsion of its contents issecured by the expansion of the fluid under pressure when the pet cockis opened, as before described.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment shown in Figs. 12 to16, inclusive, there is shown a preferred embodiment of a manuallyoperable means for ejecting the fluid from the container. The containerin this instance is similar to the container shown in Fig. 1, but at itsejection end it is modified, and the means for retaining it in thecasing 1 is somewhat different. The container is thickened into anannular flange ortion 76, to which is secured, in any suita le manner, adished face plate 77 provided with an internally threaded boss 78. Tothis boss is secured a pet cock 7 9. The casing adjacent its end isprovided with a screw-threaded collar 80 whose upper edge is adapted tocontact with the under edge of the flange 76 when the container isfitted into the casing. A casing cap 81, which is inwardlyscrew-threaded,

is adapted to be passed over the pet cook 79, so that its inwardlyextending flange 82 comes in contact with the upper edge of the flange76 when it is screwed into position upon the collar 80. The rear end ofthe casing is provided with an outer encircling casing head 83 which isinternally screw-threaded, to correspond with an enlarged threadedportion 84 on the extremity of the casing. Projecting from the innerwall of the casing end 84 are guide lugs 85 which project throughlongitudinal slits 86 in a substantially cylindrical shell 87, which inturn is provided with lugs 88 which are adapted to pass throughlongitudinal slits 89 in a substantially cylindri:

cal plunger 90 having its forward wall engaging the rear wall of thecontainer 2.

Projecting substantially centrally from the end wall of the casing headis a tube 91 which serves to inclose a screw-threaded ram 92 projectingfrom the front wall of the plunger 90. A nut 93 is provided with anannular flange 94 and is mounted on the ram 92 adjacent the plungerhead. The tube 91 terminates in a flange adjacent the flange 94, andbetween these two flanges a spring 95 is held. Guiding pins 96 attachedto the nut 93 coact with slots 97 in the tube 91. The screw threads onthe interior of the casing head 83 and those on the plunger 90 areformed in opposite'directions. The method of operation of thisembodiment of the device is as follows: The container having beeninserted and secured in place by means of the cap 82, and the pet cook79 being opened, the casing head 83 is rotated by hand, thus travelingalong over the rear end of the casing and driving the ram 92 at the sametime. The plunger is thereby driven into engagement with the softmetallic container and causes it to collapse, until finally, at the endof the travel of the head 83, the plunger is forced to a positionbringing the rear wall of the container into contact with its frontwall, as shown in Figs. 13 and 15. In view of the opposite dispositionof the threads on the ram and head, it will be readily seen thatrapidity of movement of the plunger. is vastly accelerated, so that thecontents of the container may be quickly ejected upon opening the petcock 79.

Next referring to Figs. 17 to 21, inclusive, which show an alternativeand somewhat simpler form of hand-operated device and a modified form ofcontainer, the 1 casing 1 is inwardly depressed at the orifice end andprovided with the projections 98 to engage the cover cap 99, which isslotted at 100 to receive these projections the projections forming abayonet joint with the slot as shown in Fig. 20. The container 2 is hereshown as substantially cylindrical and provided with transversecorrugations of less depth than shown in Fig. 7, which also provide avery satisfactory aid to the collapsing action. The container is closedat the ejection end by the thickened wall 101, which may either beintegral with its cylindrical wall or held therein by pressing the sidewall into the grooves 102 in its end wall 101. This end wall has thecircular screw-threaded boss 103 projecting therefrom through the wallof the casing, as shown in Fig. 17, a wing nut 104 being screwed downupon this boss, causing the wall 101 to seat firmly against the wall ofthe casing. The cap 99 has the sealing plug 105 which seats in the mouthof the perforation 106 through the boss, and is held firmly in its seatby the spring 107 within the cap. The casing at its opposite end is 109extending through the wall of the casing. This spider carries a hub 110through which extends a cylindrical tube 111 which is contracted at 112and screw-threaded to engage the ram 113 carrying the disk 114, Whoseface opposed to the bottom of the container is roughened to opposefrictional resistance to the turning of the ram. The tube 111 projectsbeyond the casing, and is provided with the casing head 115 for manualrotation. 116 which, upon the rotation of the hand- Wheel 115, transmitsthe thrust of the ram to the hub 110. i

In operation the fluid container, shown in art in Fig. 19, is made readyfor insertion in the casing by the removal of its stopper cap 117. Thespider 108 with the ram 113 and its associated parts having been removedfrom the casing, the casing is placed down over the container, whoseboss projects through the opening in the container.

The wing nut is then screwed down, holding the container firmly in thecase, and the spring cap applied by means of the bayonet jointdescribed. The ram and its associated parts are then placed within thecasing, and held in place by the spider 108. To use the extinguisher,the cap is removed, opening the orifice throu h the container 99,

and pressure is applie to the ram by turning the manually-operatedhandle 115, causing it to advance through the cylinder, forcing its diskagainst the face of the container, with the consequent expulsion of itscontents through the nozzle 103.

While 1' am aware that fire extinguishers of the syringe type containinga bag holding a liquid fire extinguishing agent, which bag is collapsedby pressure, are old, 1 believe it to be broadly new to employ acollapsible metal cartridge, as 1 may aptly term my container, in a fireextinguisher, and to collapse such cartridge by fluid under pressure,and I therefore desire broadly to.

.claim:

1. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a fluid-container ofcompressible metal having a valved head, an inclosing rigid casingtherefor, one end of said casing being adapted to permit the insertionof said congaingr therethrough and to be closed by said '2. In afire-extinguisher, the combination of a fluid-container of com ressiblemetal having a valved head, an inclosing rigid casing therefor, one endof said casing being adapted to permit the insertion of said containertherethrough and to be closed by said head, and a removable ringsurrounding said head and engaging said casing.

3. in a fire extinguisher, the combination of a fluid-container ofcompressible metal having a valved head, an inclosing rigid The tube 111has the collar casing therefor, one end of said casing being adapted topermit the insertion of sald container therethrough and to be closed bysaid head, a removable ring surrounding said head and engaging saidcasing, and a seat in said casing for said container.

4:. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a fluid-container ofcompressible metal having a valved head, an inclosing rigid casingtherefor, one-end of said casing being adapted to permit the insertionof said container therethrough and to be closed by said head, aremovable ring surrounding said head and engaging said casing, a seat insaid casing for said container, and a closure at the'opposite end ofsaid casing having a valve therein adapted to permit the storage of airunder pressure within said casing.

5. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a fluid-container ofcompressible metal having a valved head, an inclosing rigid casingtherefor, one end of said casing being adapted to permit the insertionof said container therethrough and to be closed by said head, aremovable ring surrounding said head and engaging said casing, a seat insaid casing for said container, a closure at the opposite end of saidcasing having a valve therein adapted to permit the storage of air underpressure within said casing, and a passageway through said seat adaptedto permit the stored air to continuously compress the container upon theopening of the valve in its head until the fluid therein is expelled.

6. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a fluid-container ofcompressible metal having a valved head, an inclosing rigid casingtherefor, one end of said casing being adapted to permit the insertionof said container therethrough and to be closed by said head, aremovable ring surrounding said head and engaging said casing, a seat insaid casing for said container, and a closure at the opposite end ofsaid casing having a valve therein adapted to permit the storage of airunder pressure within said casing, said seat being supported within saidcasing by a tubular projection from said closure.

7. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a fluid-container ofcompressible metal having a valved head, an inclosing rigid casingtherefor, one end of said casing being adapted to permit the insertionof said container therethrough and to be closed by said head, aremovable ring surrounding said head and engaging said casing, a seat insaid casing for said container, and a closure at the op osite end ofsaid casing having a valve therein adapted to permit the storage of airunder pressure within said casing, said seat bein supported within saidcasing by a tubu ar projection from said closure, said projectionadmitting air to both 8. In a fire extinguisher, a fluid-container 10.In a fire extinguisher, a fluid conof non-corrodible, flexible material,and a tainer 0f non-corrodible flexible material rigid cylindricalcasing having a valved botand a rigid cylindrical casing therefor saidtom, said casing being provided with a transcasing having a seat for thesupport of said 15 5 verse seat for said container. container.

' 9. In a fire extinguisher, a fluid-container of n0n-c0rr0dible,flexible material, and a JOHN R. GAMMETER. rigid cylindrical casingtherefor having a bottom provided with a valve, a seat in saidWitnesses: 10 casing for said container, and a support WALTER K. MEANS,

extending between said seat and said valve. C. S. HIRLEMANN.

